


IF THE WORLD WAS ENDING YOU'D COME OVER, RIGHT ?

by agarariddle_andhernachos



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Modern Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:13:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21784258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agarariddle_andhernachos/pseuds/agarariddle_andhernachos
Summary: It had started as an accident, then as a joke, then as friends, then as more than friends.But it was a rule, when one of them told the other that their world was ending then the other had to come over, right ? Right.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Tom Riddle
Comments: 26
Kudos: 180





	IF THE WORLD WAS ENDING YOU'D COME OVER, RIGHT ?

**Author's Note:**

> Updated version

It was just after 3AM. The night had been long, first Hermione had not wanted to come at all. But one drunk Harry had called her and she had caved. Secondly, when she had entered the small student apartment she had been welcomed by a glass of red wine on her white dress. _Classic Neville_. Thirdly, she had thought she could at least get drunk on gin, the only alcohol she could bear the taste of, but only the devil’s piss was left : tequila. Hermione had then decided not to drink, and had accepted the fact that she would get bored. 

And finally, Hermione had stumbled into one of the bedrooms where Lavender Brown was sucking off Ronald Wealsey, her boyfriend of three years now. Could she still call him her boyfriend though ? At this moment, Hermione had decided that tequila was not that bad after all. At least tequila was known to do the job right. _Right_ ? 

So no, the night had not been nice and Hermione was both wasted and on the verge of committing murder. 

She hurtled down the stairs, her left hand on the wall to keep her from falling forward, and arrived in front of the building, outside. She drunkenly took out her phone from her purse and squinted her eyes to discern where her uber was supposed to be. She couldn’t see shit. She could hear through people chatting around her, waiting for their own uber. A light vibration in her hand made her look back again 

**\- I am here -**

A black car parked in front of her and she jumped in. Hermione looked at the driver in rear-view mirror. He looked a little bit older than her, his hair was jet black and perfectly styled, his eyes were as dark as the night. He was, without a doubt, one of the hottest men she had ever laid her eyes on. Her stomach made a small flip and she quickly looked away. 

The driver started the car and Hermione felt herself gently falling asleep. Suddenly, not even 3 minutes later, the car stopped. The driver leaned towards the glove compartment and opened it. 

Hermione’s heart stopped. She hadn’t thought her night could be worse, but being murdered seemed to be the cherry on the cake. She began sobbing loudly. She tried to open the door but it wouldn’t. Hermione began hitting the door, the window. 

“What the-” She heard the uber driver say. 

“Please don’t do it.” She cried. “I don’t have money,” she opened her purse and put everything in it on the seat next to her. “I have a Starbucks card-”

“Just le-”

“Tesco’s coupons, m-my oyster card with 40 pounds on it- p-please don’t kill me.” She slurred.

“Wait, what ?”

Hermione looked up and saw the driver staring at her, one of his eyebrows raised. “Why would I kill you ?” He asked her. 

“Thank god.” She exhaled. Her head began to spin, surely from the relief of not being a future murder show episode. “The night had already been a disaster, thank god you’re not a Ted Bundy. At least I would have been m-murder by someone hot. Oh my god, what have I become ? Happy because-because I would have been murdered by a good-looking guy.” She laughed alone. 

The driver was still looking at her, a small smirk on lips, clearly making fun of her. But Hermione couldn’t care less. She had begun talking and it was impossible to stop now. “I don’t think it would have been the worst thing of the night. My world is fucking ending. Just f-found out that my boyfriend of three fucking years had been cheating on me with a two-brain-celled girl, it’s not supposed to happen, _right_ ? _Right_. I-”

“Stop.” He finally said, obviously not amused anymore but fed up. “Are you buying or what ?”

“Are you an Uber eats ?” Hermione’s eyes widened and her mouth began drooling from the thought of eating something. “I would die for a salmon enchilada right now.”

“I am not- Wait ? Salmon Enchilada ? Who the fuck eats that ?”

“You’re my uber driver, you’re not allowed to judge my tastes.” She slurred.

“Who the fuck are you ?”

“Hermione.”

“You’re not Dean Thomas ?” He asked dumbfounded. 

“Do I fucking look like Dean Thomas to you ?” 

The driver closed his eyes and let his head drop towards his chest and exhaled loudly. “Get out of the car.” He ordered through gritted teeth.

“Pardon ?”

“If you’re not buying, get out of the fucking car.” 

Hermione didn’t feel well, her head was spinning too fast, and her stomach was still flipping but she realized that it was not from the sight of the driver. She wanted to flip him off, but her right hand felt too heavy to move it. She let her head rest on the car door and felt her eyes shutting down when someone opened violently the said door. Hermione felt like falling down but someone held her. She opened her eyes and saw a smiling Dean fucking Thomas. 

“I think we swapped our ubers Hermione.” The guy smiled. 

“I think my uber driver is broken Dean.” She half laughed. 

“Get her out of the car.” The driver ordered her friend. As Dean helped her back into a sitting position, Hermione only had the time to say _Oh_ that she was throwing up on the leather seats. Before falling into darkness she heard the uber driver saying “Fuck me.”

*****

Hermione had just come back from winter holiday, after the _Uber Incident_ as Dean liked to call it, she had not drank a single drop of tequila. She had decided to put the atrocious night behind her, meaning leaving Ron, stopping tequila for good and throwing away her white dress. 

“You should talk to him.” Harry said as they walked towards their next class.

“I don’t want to.”

“It’s been three weeks Hermione !”

“It had been three years, I have the right to be angry.”

“I know, I know, but the dynamics of the group…”

Hermione stopped in her tracks and stared at him. “Really Harry ? The _dynamics of the group_ ?”

Harry shrugged and they entered the lecture theatre. The room was packed as it was the first day of the second semester. Hermione knew that half of the students present today wouldn't show up in one month. Harry was still talking to her, but since he had let out the problem of the group’s dynamics she had stopped listening to what he had to say. 

On the blackboard was written in perfect calligraphy Criminal Law 101. She had heard only good things about Professor Slughorn and was excited to finally be able to get one of her class taught by him. Next to the teacher’s desk was a smaller one, usually used by the TA. Someone was sitting there. Someone who looked a little bit older than her, someone whose hair was jet black and perfectly styled, someone with eyes as dark as the night. And someone who was without a doubt, one of the hottest guys she had ever laid her eyes on. 

As she finished thinking that she froze. She could almost feel the tequila in her mouth, she could almost feel the dampness of the red wine on her white dress, and she could almost smell her own sick. 

The TA rose his head. He looked at her. She looked at him. _Fuck._

*****

Harry had called her that night and had convinced her to join him at their usual pub. Hermione had almost refused but she had rather wanted to go out than to watch alone Geordie Shore. She quickly put on jeans that were probably laying on the floor for the past week and an old sweatshirt saying LAWYERED 

Before entering the pub, Hermione stood outside looking at the front window. She briefly considered not entering but she had put on jeans. Hermione took one large inspiration and went inside : DIAGONALLY

As soon as she got in, she saw Harry waving at her with a huge grin on his face. She approached him and took a seat next to him on the booth. Dean, in front of them, pushed a beer in front of her. 

“Where did you run off to Hermione yesterday ?” Harry asked her. 

“What do you mean ?” She lied while taking a sip of the beer.

“Come on ! As soon as the class ended you ran away. You usually go talk to the professor and you’ve been pestering us about Slughorn for months.”

“I needed to change my tampon.” She lied.

Harry shut up. The good thing about being friends with only guys was that the period excuse was a joker. She could use it whenever she needed and none of the boys would ask her more questions. Harry and Dean began talking about football, classes and finally about Ron. As soon as she heard the name she stood up, told the boys she was going to the bar and left. The pub was quite crowded for a wednesday night and she waited her turn to order. While waiting, she looked around her. The Diagonally was the pub of the law students. 

“Dolohov’s coming, get him a beer mate !” She heard someone shout from afar. Hermione turned her head and saw a blond boy waving at the person in front of her. The latter turned his head in the direction of his friend and nodded. Hermione froze. He was there. In front of her. Again. She recognized the jaw and the angle of his nose. She slowly lowered her head and tried to be as discreet as possible. 

_Please don’t turn around. Please don’t turn around. Please don’t turn around._

“I’ll have five pints, three jack and coke, and a shot of tequila please.” The uber driver ? TA ? asked the bartender. 

“50 quids.”

The uber driver put a fiver on the counter then simply said. “The rest is on her.” He turned around and Hermione looked up. She had never felt this embarrassed in her entire life. 

“Excuse-me ?” She retorted. 

“You either pay for the order or the car cleaning bill. Your choice.” 

Hermione took out her credit card. “Do you take amex ?” 

The driver picked up the tray with his drinks and laughed out loud. Before joining his friend he put the shot of tequila in front of her. “I won’t take your shitty behaviour into account while grading criminal law.” 

Without thinking she took the shot. The second later she regretted it. 

“That’s your drink of choice, _right_ ?” He mocked her. Hermione fake smiled and made sure to keep her mouth closed in case the tequila decided to make its way up.

As soon as he left, she quietly wondered if she should order something. She had just paid 50 pounds and the tequila in her empty stomach was telling her that she shouldn’t. But she wasn’t a quitter. Once the beer in her hand, she sat back next to her friends. 

“Was that the TA ?” Harry asked and Dean choked on his drink. 

“Shut up Dean.” She whispered while kicking him in the shin. 

“What are-” Harry began but stopped abruptly and his eyes widened. “Ron !”

Hermione’s head snapped up and looked at her friend. “What. Did. You. Do.” Hermione spat, her jaw clenched. 

“You two need to talk. It’s for the group’s dynamics…”

“Oh fuck you, you and your group’s dynamics.” On that Hermione stood up, knocking her left knee on the table, hissing from the pain, turning around looking for a way out, and spilling her beer on her in the process. “For fuck sakes.” She whispered. 

Ron had gone to the bar to say hello to the bartender, she thought it to be her chance to get out of the bar but then caught a glimpse of Lavender near the door. He brought her ? Arsehole. She turned around and crashed into someone’s chest. She looked up, her eyes filled with panic. 

“Let me guess, the world’s ending and you need help, _right_ ?” A dull voice said. 

“My boyfriend, well my ex-boyfriend, I need to get used to saying that, decided to show up because my future ex-best friend thought that it would be good for the group’s dynamics. What does that even mean ? I have thought about this moment before, but I would wear a fucking gorgeous dress not a week-old jeans and-and this shitty jumper. I should have at least showered, right ? I-” She said in one breath. 

“Stop. I don’t care. I really, really don’t care.” He cut her. The driver pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. “Come over.” He said and took her by the elbow. He sat her down at his own booth and Hermione faced seven other guys. 

“Hi.” Her voice high pitched from the awkwardness of the situation. 

“Who’s that ?” One of them asked. 

“Hermione.” The driver said. 

“Hermione ? The Hermione ? Hermione as in _fucking-girl-named-Hermione-fucking-puked-in- the-fucking-car_ ?” 

“Well…” She began. 

“Yes.” The uber driver cut her. 

“Huge fan of your work.” The same guy took her hand and shook it. “I’m Isodor Avery, by the way. Do you know what you’ve done ? You, Miss Hermione, are the first person to puke in his car.” 

“He leaves us on the sidewalk when we are too drunk, afraid we would tarnish the car. And you’ve done it, you son of a bitch. You’ve done it.” Another one laughed. “I’m Edgard Lestrange.” 

The driver sat right next to her and looked at his friend, an annoyed look on his face. 

“And what are you doing here ?” The blond guy she saw before asked. 

“Please, don’t get her to talk. She won’t ever stop.” The driver answered for her. Hermione should have been mad at this comment but while thinking about it she realized she had told him shit loads without any reason. 

“Well, next round on me.” The blond got up and went to the bar. “What do you want _Toyota-Prius_ ?”

Hermione knew he was talking to her, and felt already too embarrassed to question the nickname. “Hum, I’ll take a gin and tonic please.” She sheepishly answered. 

“So, I was with this bird, and mate she was so turned on…” One of the guys began telling his mates and Hermione. 

Hermione tried to discreetly look at Ron who had now joined Dean and Harry. They were clearly looking for her. She briefly thought about going towards them, but she only had to take a look at her outfit for this idea to getaway. She then decided to join the conversation. The blond guy, Abraxas Malfoy from what she had learned, had come back with a tray filled with drinks and put it down at the other side of the table. All the lads went to take their drinks and Hermione wondered if she could get up and take hers. She knew that she was kind of a safety hazard and would spill all of their drinks on her way. 

“Uber driver !” She called. The entire table stopped talking and laughed out loud. One of them, Milton Mulciber, even choked on his drink. 

“Pardon ?” The driver turned towards her. 

“Could you pass me my drink please ?”

He only looked at her and didn’t move an inch. One of the lads kindly handed it to her.

“So you don’t know his name.” Abraxas noted. 

She went to open her mouth to answer but someone shouting at the other side of the bar stopped her in her tracks. “Oy ! Riddle !”

“Is it game night ?” She smiled, quite excited about the idea. “I am so good at solving riddles.”

The table laughed again, yet no one answered. 

The boy approached them.

“Oy, Riddle can you fucking answer your phone ?” He told the driver in a thick accent. Hermione furrowed her brows. She then realised. Oh. 

“Your name is Riddle, right ?” She said in a quiet voice. 

“Right.” He smirked. 

“Who the fuck is that ?” The new guy asked the table.

“The girl who puked in his car.”

The new-comer applauded a huge grin on his face. “Antonin Dolohov.” Russian it seems. “I already like you.” He continued while squishing in the booth with them. “Tom told us a lot about that night.”

“Hush Dolohov. _Ford-Infiniti_ was about to tell us about that shitty boyfriend.” Thorus Nott cut his friend. 

Next to her, Riddle, Tom Riddle, exhaled and let his head drop in his hand. 

“Well..” She began telling them the entire story, Riddle groaning from time to time. 

*****

Hermione had a long day, she only wanted to take a hot shower, crawl into bed and watch some stupid TV-shows. But her stupid self forgot her keys inside her room this morning. She dropped her bags on the floor and rested her forehead against the wooden door, silently cursing herself. She took out her phone and called Ginny, her roommate. She called her once, twice before heading towards Harry’s room which was visible from afar thanks to the ugly poster of “Only happy thoughts guys” Harry himself made. 

Hermione stared at the sock on the doorknob. Only stared at it. She must have stayed like that for a couple of minutes before dropping once again her bags down and leaning against the opposite wall. 

What were her choices at this moment ? She could call a locksmith, but she couldn’t spend more than 50 quids on that. She could enter the room, and find her two best friends performing the act of love as Harry liked to call it, but she had done it before and she was still not over it. Funny how her friend was flexible. And she was not talking about Ginny. Finally, she could call the only other person who had a key. _Over my dead body._

So Hermione just sat down, in front of the sock mocking her. _The floor is not that hard, you could maybe sleep here._

“Avtomombil’” A loud voice in a thick accent called her. She turned her head and saw Antoning Dolohov and Tom Riddle coming her way. “What are you doing here ?”

“I forgot my key this morning. I am stuck outside.”

“In the boy’s part of the dorms ?” Tom intervened, leaning against the same wall as the one she was currently seating against. 

“I don’t want to talk to you. I’ve already embarrassed myself enough in your presence.” 

Tom only let out a laugh. 

“Why don’t you ask your roommate ? Gina ?” Tom kept going.

“Ginny. She is in there.” She pointed her finger at the sock on the doorknob. 

“Oh.” Dolohov said. “Well come with us.” 

“No ?” Tom told his friend. 

“We’re not going to leave her there, are we ?”

Hermione didn’t know if she could speak up so she just let the two friends arguing about her, while she was there. It was, once again, embarrassing. 

“It was supposed to be a boy’s night.” Tom declared.

“Bellatrix is there.”

Hermione could see that Tom had nothing to reply to that. He crouched down and picked up her bags and Dolohov helped her to get her on her feet. 

“I’ll get the crisps.” The russian said and left them alone. Tom didn’t talked to her on their way towards his room. 

Most of the lads were in the small dorm, sitting their backs leaning against the walls on the beds. 

“ _Alfa-Romeo-Spider_ !” Abraxas welcomed her.

“Hi blondie.” She smiled at him. 

“What are you doing here ?”

“Don’t ask.” Tom intervened as he sat on his desk. 

Antonin had come back with crips and beers and they all began playing uno. Hermione looked at her phone and realised that he was getting quite late. Ginny had not answered any of her text yet. 

“Isn’t there anyone who have a spare key ?” Tom asked her. 

“Well…”

“Don’t tell me _he_ has one.”

“Well…”

“For fuck sake.” He cursed. “Just call him.”

“I won’t do that, uber driver !” She pointed her finger at him. 

“Fine, I’ll call him them.”

“No !”

“I won’t let you sleep here so, have a good night in the hallway.”

“Tom !” Isodor intervened. 

“Fine, call him.”

Hermione gave her phone to Tom and the latter called him.

“Put him on speakers.” Abraxas smiled while taking a sip of his beer. Tom refused. After three rings, Ron picked up. 

“Honey-bear ?” Wealsey said. Tom looked at her and tried to stop himself from laughing. 

“No. Honey-bear is busy. But she needs the spare key you have.” 

At the nickname Hermione put her head in her hands, embarrassed.

“Who are you ?” Ron asked. 

“Doesn’t concern you. Do you have the key ?” Tom pressed. 

“Hum, yeah. Where the fuck is Hermione ?”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Just tell her I need to talk to her. I regret and I want to apologise.”

“Will do.” Tom rolled his eyes. “Now, meet me in front of door 713.” 

Tom hung up and Hermione looked at him. 

“What did he say ?” She pressed him.

“He’s giving me the key.”

“That’s all he said ?”

“Yes.” Tom lied and left the room.

Tom came back 10 minutes later, the holy grail in his hand. Hermione said goodbye to the lads and walked along Tom towards her own room.

Once they arrived in front of it, he handed her the key. 

“Well Granger, once again your world was ending, but I helped, _right_ ?”

“It seems to happen a lot around you.”

“It’s not only around me, you’re just a fucking disaster.” He finished as he turned around. 

*****

Her shift was about to begin at Forge and Gred, Ron’s brothers restaurant. She put on her apron and walked into the main room. She had started this job at the beginning of the school year and she was getting sick of it. As usual, she went to her first table and began talking manically. 

“Welcome to Forge and Gred Restaurant, your experience will be magical. I’ll be your waitress for the night.” Hermione said in her best customer-service voice. She finally decided to see who her clients were for the night. As soon as she rose her head and looked at the two, a smirk appeared on her face. “Well, hello there.” _General Kenobi_ she couldn’t help but think as she said it. 

“Fuck me.” Tom whispered. 

“Do you two know each other ?” The blond girl in front of Riddle asked. 

It had been two months since the I puked in this guy’s car incident. Hermione had become friends with all of the lads and was invited to all of their weekly gatherings. She even became friends with Tom even if he would never admit it. 

“Yes.” She said.

“No.” He said at the same time. 

“Well, this is awkward.” The blond said in the most stupid voice Hermione has ever heard. 

“I’ll let you chit-chat then.” Hermione tried to be as embarrassing as possible while giving them the menu. 

She turned around and left them alone while they made their choice of meal. _Afterall, this night could be fun._

She had brought them one salad. Like just green lettuce, for her. And one plate of fish and chips for him. Hermione was currently behind the bar, cleaning some wine glass when Tom approached her in a hurry. 

“You need to get me out of here.” He loudly whispered to her. 

“Excuse-me ? Do you need anything ? Wasn’t the fish and chips as you wanted it?” She messed with him.

“Oh stop it.” He hissed. “Get me out of here.”

“Why ? She looks nice.” Hermione answered as she took a good look at Tom’s date. The blond girl was stunning, long legs, shiny hair. The whole package. 

“She’s dumb as fuck.” Tom answered. 

“You’re meant for each other then.”

“Don’t start Granger.”

“Oh come Tom, we both know you’re in for a quick shag. Don’t whine.”

“Hermione.”

“Fine, say the magic words and I’ll help you.”

“Please.” He said through gritted teeth. 

“Not the ones I’m referencing to. It seems like your world is.. What’s the word again ? ”

“My world is fucking ending and I need your help.” 

“Fine, I’ll help you. But you’ll tip me good, _right_ ?” Hermione grinned. 

“ _Right._ ”

Tom nodded and she followed him to his table. He put down the money for the meal plus two pounds for the tips. She looked at him. He put 10. She kept staring. After Tom put down 30 pounds of tips, Hermione put them in her apron’s pocket. She gave the blond girl a rubber and whispered loudly “Trust me you want to use it. Chlamydia’s a bitch.”

At that, the blond girl gasped, looked at Tom, took her bag and left abruptly the restaurant. 

“Did you have to do that ?” Tom exhaled. “When’s your shift ending ?”

“Let’s say now.”

“Go get your bag, I’ll drive you home.”

*****

After three months of silence and messing with the group’s dynamics, Hermione had finally had that talk with Ron. It had ended badly. Really badly. There had been yelling, insults and most of all, cries. 

Hermione was currently under her blanket on her bed, trying to stop herself from crying. She opened her text message and began typing instinctively. 

**\- If my world was ending you’d come over, right ? -**

A few seconds later, her phone pinged. 

**\- Right -**

Her bass was playing _All by myself_ by Celine Dion for the fifth time in a row when someone gently knocked on her door. She didn’t move, thinking that the person knocking at the door would go away eventually. They knocked again. Hermione groaned and got up, still rolled up in her blanket with her red and puffy eyes. 

When she opened the door she saw him, in black sweatpants and a green sweatshirt. 

“Really Celine Dion ? You’re a fucking cliché Granger.” He smirked. 

Hermione really tried to laugh but she just ended up crying again. Tom instantly took her in his arms. She tucked her head in his neck and inhaled. He was carding his fingers through her hair and was gently rubbing circles on her back. 

Tom slowly began waking them to her bed, he delicately laid them down, still holding her. 

“It was terrible.” She sobbed. “He said it was my fault, that I was working too hard, but I have a scholarship I need to work hard. Then he tried to defend himself for sleeping with her and I retorted that maybe he would need the experience because I’ve been faking for three years. Then he tried to put his family into this and wanted me to give him back the signature Weasley’s sweatshirt…”

Hermione looked at him. She just realised that for once he had not stopped her. 

“And ?” He gently asked her. 

“You’re listening.” She thought out loud. 

“I’m always listening.” 

“Right.” She softly smiled through the tears. 

*****

**\- World’s ending. Need help. ASAP. -**

Hermione had just woken up and saw Tom’s text. She jumped out of bed, took a quick shower and went to where he was. She arrived in front of a Xenophilius Lovegood’s gym. She checked the address twice before entering. Hermione was not ready for what she saw. 

Tom, in sweatpants, next to Harry, doing the downward-facing dog pose. Hermione had often wanted to laugh in an embarrassing situation, but this was a first. She wondered for a second if she needed to take a photo of this, just for blackmail purposes, but didn’t have the time as Tom saw her. 

“Granger !” He whispered out of breath, apparently struggling with his current position. He quickly got up and approached her. 

“You need to work on your flexibility.” Hermione mocked him. “What the fuck are you doing here ? And you clearly don’t need my help, you’re doing just fine.”

“I am trying to be nice to your friends here. Harry invited me to go to the gym. I was expecting sport-”

“Yoga is a sport.” She interrupted.

“Real sport.” Tom glared at her. “You imagine my surprise when I entered and saw this guru, - because yes Granger, this is a cult - in his bright yellow yoga pants, clearly too tight, asking me to say hello to the sun and to get into a dog pose.” 

Hermione couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Harry !” She called her best friend. The latter turned his head while keeping the position. “I’m taking him home. He is afraid to stay.” 

Tom gently shoved her in the ribs. They went outside and Hermione jumped on his back and asked him to carry her piggy-back style. 

“What are you doing ?” He asked her as he put his hand on her ankle to secure her. 

“You’re an Uber driver, _right_ ?”

He just huffed and began walking. 

*****

Comarc McLaggen had lettuce in his teeth. For a good thirty minutes now and Hermione thought about telling him at first but now it just seemed weird since it’s been thirty minutes. So she just kept quiet and tried to enjoy her date. But she couldn’t help but stare at the green thing between his teeth. 

On the table, her phone lit up. 

**\- World’s ending at Diagonally. Come over pls. -**

Hermione mumbled an apology to Cormac, took her bag and went outside. At least, Diagonally was the bar across the street, she almost ran there. She entered the pub and faced the lads and Tom casually sitting in their usual booth.

“Tom ! What’s going on ?” Hermione asked him. “You seem fine.”

“Hey _Cadillac-Cimarron_.” Isodor smiled at her. “Yes everything fine, why ? Maybe the bartender is taking too long to bring us our beers but it’s Friday night. You look really nice by the way.”

Hermione understood. She quickly looked at Tom and saw him playing with his coaster, avoiding her gaze. 

“Yes, I was on a date.” Hermione answered slowly, still looking at him. 

“How was it ?” Tom asked her, still not meeting her eyes. 

“Fine.” She lied. “We were laughing and joking around until Tom sent me a text claiming an emergency, _right_ ?”

“Bullshit.” He looked at her. “You were looking bored !” He quickly added before realising his mistake. 

“You saw us. Fucker ! You sent me that text to get me out of this date.”

“Everyone knows McLaggen is a twat. If you wanted a quick shag you could have gone to any other guy.” He barked, jealousy obvious. 

“Well, at least he asked me out.” She spat turning her heels and leaving the pub. 

*****

Once again, Hermione had fucked up her resolution of not drinking tequila. Actually, it was all Ginny’s fault. She had been the one to drag her to this night club and bought her shots, because apparently, Hermione needed to get laid, and alcohol could help. The tequila hadn’t helped. So here she was, in front of the club, alone, shivering, and waiting for her uber. She didn’t need to go through the application anymore. 

Tom’s car parked in front of her and he got out to open the door. 

“You came.” She slurred.

“Your world was ending, _right_ ?” He smiled. “Just don’t puke in the car. I swear Granger, if you throw up…”

Hermione flipped him off as she settled inside the car. Tom got to the driver’s side and started the car.

“Jesus take the wheel and drive me back home.” She said. Tom laughed at that. 

“We need to make a quick stop before.” 

“Salmon enchiladas ?” Hermione got excited.

“You really need to get your taste buds tested.” 

Hermione was insufferable when she was drunk. Tom had come to know that, so he was not even bothered anymore as she played with the windows’ control button. Up. Down.

As they arrived in a small alley, Tom stopped the car and Blaise Zabini hopped in it. Tom opened the glove compartment and took out a full bag of weed. Hermione’s eyes widened. 

“Oy mate. You alright ? Is that your bird ?” Zabini asked Tom. 

“Don’t Zabini. You know the policy. How much ?” Tom simply replied. 

“50 quids.”

Tom got a small balance from the glove compartment and began weighting for five grams of weed. The two exchanged drugs for money and Zabini got out of the car. 

“The fuck was that Tom ?” Hermione hissed.

“Hermione…”

“No Tom. Are you dealing ? I’ve known you for eight months and you were dealing all along ? Why didn’t you tell me ?”

“I thought you knew.” He genuinely answered. “The first time we met I tried to sell you drugs. I thought you were Dean Thomas, who asked for some weed.” 

“For the last time Tom, how would you have thought I look anything like Dean fucking Thomas ? You know what ? I’d rather walk.” Hermione opened the door and got out.

“Come on Hermione, get back in the car ! Get back in the fucking car, you’re wasted !” Tom followed her in the alley, leaving the key in the ignition. 

“I told you everything.” She turned around to face him. “Maybe you joke about the fact that I tell you everything, but still I do. I thought you did too. Looks like I don’t mean that much to you. You know what ? If my world is ending I won’t ask you to come over anymore !”

“Come one, don’t say that. You’re just drunk and upset over nothing because I thought you knew !”

“Well you were clearly mistaken.” Hermione got her phone out and ordered a real uber for once. 

“What are you doing ?” Tom got closer.

“I am waiting for my uber.” She answered like a petty child. 

“You have one here ! Get in the fucking car !” Tom got angry.

Hermione kept walking and turned around the corner. Tom eyed his car and where she had disappeared to. “Fuck !” He shouted. 

*****

The night had started out fine. Isodor had called her and asked her to join him at Dolohov’s party in a bar downtown. Hermione had nothing else to do, so she put on a dress and joined them. 

She had not talked to Tom in a month. He had tried to call her, talk to her after her criminal law class, but Hermione was still hurt by the fact that she thought they were more than friends and that him not telling her a huge part of his life, just send her back to reality. He didn’t consider her as more. 

This party had been weird. It had been full of drunk Russian guys, dancing to a remix of their national anthem. Hermione had asked Isodor what they were doing here and he had only shrugged, apparently asking himself the same question. 

One shot of vodka led to another and Hermione almost enjoyed herself until she spotted Gellert Grindelwald, notorious for being a hothead. Tom, among others, had always told her that if she ever found herself in a party with Gellert Grindelwald, she had to leave, because everywhere this guy went, something bad happened. And this was exactly what had happened tonight. Hermione couldn’t even remember where the fight came from, but the gash on her head surely reminded her that she had received a full bottle of tequila, _of course tequila,_ on her forehead. 

Isodor and Antonin had stayed with her while the doctor at the hospital had resewed her forehead. Hermione only wanted to go home and sleep. 

“Take me back home please.” She asked Dolohov as he was the one with the car. None of the boys moved and the three of them were waiting in the hospital parking lot. 

“Antonin ?” She pressed. 

“I’ve been drinking. I shouldn’t take the car.” He replied in his warm Russian accent. 

“You drove us here.” Isodor replied as Dolohov shoved him in the ribs. “Right, right, he is too drunk.” Isodor kept going, obviously lying. 

Hermione exhaled, turned around and closed her eyes. She didn’t know if she wanted to cry or laugh at this moment. What made her jump and open her eyes was the loud noise coming from someone shutting violently a car’s door. Tom was walking angrily towards the three of them. As soon as he saw her, with a bandage on her forehead, he ran toward her and put both of his hands on her cheek, examining her. 

“Are you alright ?” He asked her, clearly worried. His thumbs were caressing her cheekbones. “Is she alright ?” He then asked the lads. 

“Yeah she is.” Isodor answered. “She just needed three stitches.”

“Three stitches ?! Why the fuck was she there in the first place ?”

“Come on Tom, she needed to be cheered up. She had been looking like a kicked puppy for a month now.” 

Tom shut up as he understood what it meant. He looked back at her.

“The fuck were you doing there when you knew Grindelwald was there ?” His voice was a mix of worry and anger, but it was soft. 

“What are you doing here Tom ?” Hermione asked him. She felt like they were completely alone in this parking lot. Just him, his worried look, his hand cupping her face and her eyelashes fluttering from the warmth of him. 

“They called me because you didn’t.” 

She didn’t answer. 

“You’re supposed to call me.” He kept going. “Your world was ending and I had to come over, right ? And you didn’t call me.”

“And yet you came over.”

“I’ll always come over.” 

Hermione kept looking at him, her stomach made a small flip and this time she knew it was from the sight of him. She pushed herself on the tip of her toes and gently pressed her lips against his. One of his hands went to her hair as the other one settled on the small of her back. Instinctively she carved her hands through his silky hair and heard a small sigh escape his lips. He pressed her against him even more and Hermione moaned against him. It was so warm and the world around her was freezing. 

“Can I call you honey-bear now ?” She felt him smirk as the words escaped his lips.

“Don’t you dare.” She laughed before kissing him more. She wondered how she could have lived all this time without the feeling of his lips against hers. 

*****

Dolohov was sitting in front of her, in their usual booth at Diagonally. He was currently teaching her a child song in Russian. She couldn’t understand a word, she couldn’t utter a word. She definitely needed a drink. Maybe tequila, because yes, she wanted to die at this moment. 

**\- I fucking want my world to end. -**

She waited for his response. It didn’t take long. 

**\- I am not coming over because Dolohov’s trying to teach you Russian. I survived it, I am sure you can too. -**

Hermione rolled her eyes and huffed. 

**\- On top of being a shitty uber driver, you’re a shitty boyfriend. -**

Dolohov, in front of her, didn’t seem to notice that she was not paying attention to what he was telling her. 

**\- Be there in 5. You can survive for 5 minutes, right ? -**

*****

Tom was not known for being a good cook. It was the first time he had tried the kitchen in the apartment he had just started renting outside campus. He had called Milton and had asked him for cooking tips, but Mulciber was only good at watching youtube videos of people cooking and not cooking himself. 

Tom was startled when he heard the main door opening and gently closing. He tried to get rid of the smoke surrounding the small kitchen by moving his arms in the air. Hermione laughed behind him. He turned around and saw her casually leaning against the kitchen door, her arms crossed on her chest and a loving smile on her lips. 

“And I am supposed to be the safety hazard between the two of us ?” She mocked him. 

“Shut it.” He laughed. “I was trying to do a nice thing here for our one year anniversary.”

“Jewelry would have been nice.” She smirked. 

Tom approached her and gently pulled her into a kiss. 

“I won’t come over anymore if you’re trying to burn the whole building down.”

Tom swallowed and felt his heart beating fast in his chest. He took out the spare key he had made for her out of his pocket and put it on the counter and took a deep breath. 

“Maybe you don’t have to _come over_ anymore.” He told her. 

Hermione’s eyes widened and she quietly gasped. Her eyes were going back and forth between Tom and the key. 

“Well now that I’m living here, I am in charge of the kitchen, _right_ ?”

At the words, Tom smiled. “ _Right_.”

*****

**\- I’m begging you. This is a fucking disaster. Come over right the fuck now Tom. -**

Hermione tried to hide her phone underneath the table and kept harassing Tom with her texts. 

“Everything’s alright Hermione ?” Ginny asked her. 

“Yeah yeah.” She answered.

“I thought Riddle wasn’t coming over.” Ron intervened placing his arm around Lavender. 

“He’s always coming over.”

Harry brought the starters to the table and Ginny poured some white wine. 

**\- No way. You’re on your own on this Granger. No fucking way I am spending the night with ginger 1 and ginger 2, two-brain-celled girl, and cult-member Harry. No way. -**

**\- Suit yourself. No sex then. -**

**\- I’m coming over. -**

Hermione cut Harry’s talk about new crystal he just bought. “Tom’s on his way.”

“I am so happy. That is a good group dynamic.” Harry smiled. 

*****

“My world is fucking ending !” Hermione heard Tom shout from the kitchen. She entered the living room in a hurry and saw him where she left him two hours prior : on the couch yelling at his video game, a gamer set around his head.

“Really Tom ?” She smirked. 

“What ? Frozen fucking destroyed my planet - yes yes I’m talking to you Abraxas -” Tom yelled in his microphone. 

Hermione just laughed and sat next to him. She watched him play for a couple of minutes while drinking her tea before noticing something on the screen.

“ _I-am-lord-Voldemort_ ?” She read his username. 

“Don’t you dare judge me. I was ten.” 

“And that’s what you came up with ?” She laughed, setting her cup on the coffee table.

“Laugh all you want but you don’t know how many hours I’ve spent trying to find a good anagram.”

“You think this is good ?”

Tom turned his head and glared at her. He put his controller down, stood up and towered over her. 

“How dare you make fun of the Dark Lord ?” He deepened his voice and Hermione just began laughing louder. Tom threw himself on her and harassed her with kisses, from her collarbone to her lips. 

*****

It was not as if they had a “restaurant”. They didn’t want to be like this kind of couples, always going to the same places, settling into a routine. But they definitely had one. It was not really fancy nor the best restaurant in town. It was a small bistrot at the end of their street, only known among people in the neighbourhood. 

Hermione was playing with her napkin, for once in her life she had arrived early and she promised herself never to do that again. 

5 minutes of waiting turned in to 10 then 20 then 30. 

**\- You better have a good excuse to be this late. I’m ordering food. Idc. -**

Hermione wouldn't but she knew for a fact that Tom couldn’t stand it when she did it. It was the kind of message that usually had him running here. 

**\- Tom, you’re 30 minutes late. From now on, each additional minute will be spent** **hating you a little bit more. Just so you know. -**

“Would you like to order something miss ?” A voice made her head snap up. Hermione looked at the waitress and politely shook her head no. Hermione considered going back home, she was currently starving, Tom’s phone was apparently turned off, so she could just walk back, find him snoring on the couch, smile at him despite the anger she felt right now. Yes, she could walk back. She would. 

As she took her belongings and left a tip on the table for the bother, she heard the small bell that would ring anytime someone entered the restaurant. Abraxas was currently standing a couple of meters away from her, his coat drenched from the rain pouring outside. 

“Hermione,” He said in a grave voice. 

“No car name tonight ?” She laughed as she approached him. 

He didn’t answer, instead he just looked like he was picking the right words in his head. Abraxas was avoiding her gaze and his bottom lip was shaking lightly.

“What’s going on ? You’re scaring me right now ?” She pressed him. 

The blond opened his mouth a couple of times but no words came out. 

“Abraxas ? Where’s Tom ?” Hermione simply asked in a small voice. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest, Hermione could hear the blood in her temples and her hands become clammy. Still, he didn’t answer. 

“He is coming over, _right_?” She continued, tears in her voice. “Speak for fuck sake !” 

Abraxas’s gaze met hers and Hermione almost regretted her last sentence.

“You’re fucking with me Malfoy, is that it ? I’m going home, I’m starving and quite in a bad mood, I don’t have time for your childish game.” Hemione got out of the restaurant and Abraxas followed her. Once the both of them outside, enveloped in the chill breeze of the night, Hermione turned around. She was angry, starving and she needed to vent. 

“Tom put you up to this ? That’s it, _right_ ? He thought it would be funny to pull a prank on me ? Well, you know what Malfoy, it is not. I waited for forty fucking minutes and I didn’t even eat. If that isn’t love I don’t know what is ! So you’ll tell your friend that I’m pissed because he won’t pick up his fucking phone !” Hermione was almost crying at the end, she didn’t particularly knew why.

None of them talked after that. Abraxas just finally met her gaze. 

Sometimes more words are said in silence. On this night, outside this restaurant, Abraxas Malfoy had told her everything just by looking at her. 

Her stupid ringtone broke the silence, she took her phone in shaky hands and answered, her gaze still locked on him.

“Hello ?” She tried to sound as normal as possible. 

“Miss Granger ? This is St Mungo's Hospital-”

She let her phone fall on the ground. 

“He is coming over, _right_ ?” She cried, asking Abraxas. He took a large breath and shook his head no. Hermione nodded, kept nodding for what seemed like 10 minutes before realising what it meant. 

Hermione had never thought about what death would do to her. She had seen in movies people crying and laying in bed all day. She had then imagined this to be grief. Grief was not tissues and tears drop. Grief was unexpected and fast. 

“He is coming over.” She said.

Grief was a cold hand ripping half of her soul, half of her heart, half of what she was. No one can live with only half of them, _right_ ? 

“He always comes over.” She repeated. 

Grief was the feeling of not being able to breathe properly anymore. Grief was that one person you hate at first, that makes your life miserable, but that you learn to know and understand. Grief is that one friend that reminds you of him in the end. 

  
“He is not coming over, _right_ ?”

*****

**\- It’s been two weeks now. I’ve sent you a tone of text. I know this is stupid but I am still waiting for an answer. You’re not coming over, right ? -**

**\- My world is fucking ending Tom. Where are you ? Why did you take the car -**

**\- My world has been ending ever since. And no one is coming over, right ? -**

_Right._


End file.
